I Still Believe
by T'Ley
Summary: A “Smallville” story. A few re-imaginings of a scene from Season Two episode “Fever”. What if it wasn’t Lana’s name that Clark called? Complete.
1. Chapter 1

Rating: PG (just to be safe)

Spoilers: Features events from Season Two: "_Fever_" and Season Two: "_Skinwalker_". Title references song "_I Still Believe_" from _Miss Saigon_.

Disclaimer: The characters are not mine, except when they are. The settings and locations are not mine, except when they are. The plots, conflicts, and resolutions ARE mine, except when they're not.

Reviews/Feedback: CONSTRUCTIVE criticism is always welcome. Any suggestions you may have on how to make my story better will be greatly appreciated.

Acknowledgement: My thanks to whatever website I got the episode transcript for "_Fever_" from. As you may have guessed, I started this story quite a while ago and I honestly can't remember where I got the transcript.

Chapter 1: Kyla

"I want to let you in on a secret." Chloe said, reading out loud for the first time the words she had written earlier. "I'm not who you think I am. In fact, my disguise is so thin I'm surprised you haven't seen right through me. I'm the girl of your dreams masquerading as your best friend."

Chloe was sitting in a rocking chair in the Kent's living room, next to the couch where Clark lay unconscious – unconscious, and completely unaware of Chloe's presence. At the moment, Clark felt as if he were floating in darkness. It blanketed him, surrounding him completely, yet the darkness was not in any way threatening or oppressive. It was simply there, in much the same way that Clark himself felt no dread or apprehension; he simply existed, waiting in the dark.

"Sometimes I want to rip off this façade like I did at the Spring Formal," Chloe continued, "but I can't because you'll get scared and you'll run away again. So I decided that it's better to live with a lie than expose my true feelings." Chloe stopped reading for a moment. The emotions rising in her were simply too strong for her to continue. She brushed aside Clark's bangs and said, "This is so much easier when you're unconscious."

Clark saw a light coming towards him out of the darkness. It was faint at first, but as it came closer it grew steadily brighter and brighter. Clark felt as though he were at the end of a very long tunnel. It took some time for Clark to realize that the light wasn't moving towards him, but that rather he was moving towards it. There was someone waiting for him, there in the light. Clark couldn't tell who it was at first.

Chloe had started to read again. "My dad told me there are two types of girls. The ones you grow out of and the ones you grow into. I really hope I'm the latter. I may not be the one you love today, but I'll let you go for now, hoping one day you'll fly back to me because I think you're worth the wait." Chloe set the pink paper that she was reading from down on her lap. Her fingers brushed aside Clark's hair again. This time, Clark stirred. "Clark?" Chloe said questioningly.

As Clark moved closer to the light, he began to slowly recognize the person standing there waiting for him. Clark noticed the long, dark hair, and a figure that was unmistakably female. But it was when he saw the look in her eyes that he knew for sure. He had seen that same look before, as she lay dying in his arms. Surprise and confusion filled Clark as he stared into the face of someone he had never expected to see again. "Kyla?" Clark asked.

When Clark murmured Kyla's name, Chloe wasn't sure how to react. After all, how does one compete with a ghost? Then she noticed that Clark's breathing was becoming shallower and more labored, his face growing pale. Chloe may not have been a doctor, but she seemed to sense that Clark was dying. "Clark, no!" Chloe said, the anguish she felt plainly evident in her voice. "No, Kyla's dead! She's dead!" When Clark showed no signs of having heard her, and no signs of improving, tears filled Chloe's eyes. "Clark, please, please don't leave me," she begged.

Kyla looked at Clark. He was so close now; almost close enough to touch her. But it wasn't his time, not yet. There was still so much he needed to do, so many people he was destined to help. Giving Clark a sad look, Kyla turned her back on him, letting him go. The bright light began to fade, taking Kyla with it. Then the light went out completely, leaving Clark in the darkness once again.

As Clark's breathing returned to normal and the color returned to his face, Chloe let out a sigh of relief. He had come back to her, she thought. With this thought came another. Maybe there was a chance for them after all. Maybe Clark could love her, the way that she loved him. After a few moments had passed, with Clark not showing any signs of taking another plunge towards death's door, Chloe leaned forward to kiss him on the forehead, only to hear footsteps on the stairs. "Chloe?" Mr. Kent called as he headed downstairs. Chloe quickly sat up straight in the rocking chair, the sudden movement causing the chair to rock backwards. Suddenly remembering the paper in her lap, Chloe hurriedly began to shove the pink sheet back into her handbag, just as Clark's adoptive father walked into the living room. Chloe finished stuffing the paper into her bag and stood up. "I was just leaving," she said as she headed for the door. "Tell Clark I hope he feels better." It was only after Chloe had drawn the front door shut behind her that her embarrassment at almost being caught in such a private moment faded, and a bubble of happiness began to rise within her. 'Maybe, just maybe,' she silently told herself as she left the house.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2: Lois

Notes/Author's Note: This chapter starts out a bit repetitive, but that's the point. It's the same scene, but with a different twist.

Clark saw a light coming towards him out of the darkness. It was faint at first, but as it came closer it grew steadily brighter and brighter. Clark felt as though he were at the end of a very long tunnel. It took some time for Clark to realize that the light wasn't moving towards him, but that rather he was moving towards it. The light beckoned him, calling him to a place where there was no more pain.

Chloe started to read again. "My dad told me there are two types of girls. The ones you grow out of and the ones you grow into. I really hope I'm the latter. I may not be the one you love today, but I'll let you go for now, hoping one day you'll fly back to me because I think you're worth the wait." Chloe set the pink paper that she was reading from down on her lap. Her fingers brushed aside Clark's hair again. This time, Clark stirred. "Clark?" Chloe said questioningly.

Clark had almost reached the light when he felt something pulling him back. At first he tried to fight it, so great was the promise of peace that the light offered. However the tie that bound him to the land of the living was strong. Some inner knowledge that was not accessible to his conscious mind instinctively told Clark what it was that kept him chained to the waking world. His soul mate still walked the earth.

Since time began there had existed another person that Clark was destined to spend his life with, and all the lives that came before and after. The two of them were eternally linked, never one without the other. Clark's destiny was so completely intertwined with hers that this other soul would not permit him to enter the light alone. A name came to him out of the ether, the name his true love bore in this lifetime. Clark whispered it to himself, hoping to take some memory of it back with him to the waking world, so that he might recognize her when they finally met. "Lois."

When Clark said the name Lois, Chloe was more puzzled than anything else. As far as she was aware, Clark knew no one by that name. True, Chloe had a cousin with that name, but Clark had never met her. Chloe stared hard at Clark, searching his face for a sign, for anything that would allow her to comprehend what was going on. The surprising thing was that she actually noticed something. Even when he was with friends, Clark always had this look of isolation about him, as if he felt alone in the world. He didn't have that look now. Instead he looked as if he had finally found a place where he belonged. Something had changed, and somehow, instinctively, Chloe knew that that change didn't involve her.

As if in a dream, Chloe took the pink paper from her lap and put it back in her handbag. She then got up and headed for the door. Once she reached it she glanced back at Clark for a moment or two, and then walked out. It was after the door closed behind her that tears started to form in her eyes.

Later, the night of the benefit at the Talon, Clark came up to her. "Hey, Chloe." Clark said cheerfully, all trace of illness gone. "My dad said you came to visit when I was sick. That was really sweet of you. Thanks."

"Sure." Chloe replied. "What are friends for? Um, I'm just gonna go buy a raffle ticket before the drawing. I mean, what could be more poetically just – me winning a computer?" She laughed a little nervously and started to walk away. Then she stopped, and turned back around. She had to ask. "Clark?" she called. Having seen Chloe leaving, Clark had also turned and started to head off, but he turned back when he heard Chloe call his name. "Yeah?" Clark asked. Chloe played with her hands for a little bit, and then finally asked, "Who's Lois?" Clark stared back at Chloe, confused. "What?" he asked.

"When you were sick," Chloe explained, "you said 'Lois'. Who's Lois?" Clark wracked his brain, but couldn't come up with an answer. "I don't know," he said. "I don't know anyone named Lois." Chloe nodded her head slowly, and then turned away. She had noticed that Clark had that isolated look once again. Whatever had happened, whatever had changed, it was over now.

Clark watched Chloe leave. For some reason, he had an uneasy feeling that he had forgotten something important. Eventually he shook it off, and went back to enjoying the benefit.


End file.
